Taking a Stand
by Falling to Fly
Summary: Some rules are made to be broken.


**I've voiced my opinion through an author's note. Now I'm going to do it through my writing.**

**Once again, I'm not going to name any names. Some of you might be able to guess what this is in response to, some of you might not. But background isn't what's important in this; it's the message itself.**

**I'm done being angry, or rather, I'm done acting out of anger. It never does any good, and I'm slowly but surely learning that peace and love are the one way to approach an issue to cause minimal conflict.**

**Before I begin, I would like to say a HUGE thank you to the ever amazing Miss Fenway. I never would have been able to finish without her love and support, and I probably wouldn't even be back in the first place if it wasn't for her. So a huge thanks to her. -heart-**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

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><p>"<em>Be the change you wish to see in the world."<em>

_-Mahatma Gandhi_

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><p>Logan Mitchell has always considered himself to be a good person.<p>

Maybe he isn't always the coolest person to be around; he'd established his position as the group's bookworm a long time ago, and nothing has changed. And maybe he isn't the most patient person in the world; but sometimes he can't help it, and he feels that he's held on pretty well, since he's pretty sure that anyone else in his position would have developed an ulcer at this point. But all flaws aside, Logan has always prided himself on being dependable, sensible, and more than anything, standing up for what he believes in.

He believes in his dreams. He's seen people make more out of less, so when he firmly tells everyone that the medical world will know his name someday, he means it. It's been his dream to become a doctor since he was a little kid, and instead of dwindling and being replaced with some other idea like many other childhood dreams, his drive to achieve his goal has only grown stronger and more passionate over the years. He's worked tirelessly all his life, maintaining high grades, reading medical books on the side, and teaching himself everything he can possibly learn, and _that _is why he's confident that one day he will be known as _Dr. _Logan Mitchell.

He believes in his friends. Through the years, they have been the ones to keep him going; whenever he found himself slipping and stumbling, they were right there to pick him back up. They have been his shoulder to cry on, kept his closest secrets, and have always stood by his side when he needed them, and then continued to march beside him even when he didn't. It didn't matter that they had more than likely risked his life time after time; they lived for him, just as he lived for them, and in the end that was all that really mattered. His parents always told him how lucky he was to have friends like them, but they never understood how much more there was to it than that. Logan was blessed, and there was no better explanation for it. He'd been given the most caring, selfless, and loyal friends in the world, and he knows that nothing will ever change that.

He believes in the world. He thinks his friends might have a lot to do with that, but he knows that there are so many other reasons. In his relatively short life, he's seen people work miracles. Time after time, the world has proven to him that it only takes one person to start something great. He's learned that if people would only look deep within their hearts, the world could become a much better place, and with every step mankind takes towards peace and prosperity not for themselves, but for the entire _world, _life becomes just a bit more peaceful. And it's because of these people, the ones who work only for the greater good, that he truly has faith that by the end of his life, the world will be a better place.

But there are also people in the world who seem to only act out of hate, and Logan has found that he can't understand these kind of people, no matter how hard he tries. How anyone can be so spiteful, so oppressive, so _inhuman _is simply beyond his capacity to comprehend. He's seen friendships ripped apart, families devastated, and a universal pain that's destroyed many good people. He's been forced to witness individuals fighting for all the reasons, and he just doesn't understand why. Nothing good ever seems to come out of something fueled by hatred, and no matter how planned the actions are, he's always considered these acts as crimes of passion. It physically _hurts _him sometimes to see all the destruction they leave in their wake, especially when the passion and energy could have been put into something even more powerful, like love.

Logan Mitchell has always considered himself to be a good person, but not a fool. He knows that he is only one person among seven billion, and that trying to stop all the bad in the world on his own will be like trying to conquer a country armed with a rock. But he's also heard of something called the domino effect, and he's been told that great things can be accomplished with great love. That is why he won't back down; this is something he's always believed in, just as he knows that James, Kendall, and Carlos believe in it, and he knows that with enough faith and determination, they can all change the world.

He's not sure how they're going to do it yet, but between the four of them, he knows they'll find a way. They're not going to be flashy and rude about it; that's not what this is about. Logan knows from experience that making people angry will only take everyone a step backwards, and that they have to be as civil and clean as they possibly can. However, that doesn't mean that they'll be backing down; this isn't about listening to authority, it's about listening to justice. If stepping over some boundaries is what it takes to make the world a better place, then they'll do it proudly, because something has to be done, and if no one else will do it then they well. They'll be careful not to break the law, but they're done playing by the rules.

And if there's anything they've learned over the years, it's that some rules are made to be broken.

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><p>Bullying was something that Logan was no stranger to. All his life, he'd been picked on. He'd never been entirely sure what it was that seemed to attract them, but it seemed that everywhere he went the harassment and the beatings followed. Moving to Minnesota had been a blessing in disguise, because it was there that he met Kendall, James, and Carlos. From the moment they became friends, Logan knew that he didn't have to worry anymore. If anyone so much as flicked him on the back of the head, one, if not all three, of his friends would be there in an instant, ready to stop the bullying before it could even begin. Sure, every once in a while someone would slip through the defense they'd built and give Logan a hard time, but it never lasted long.<p>

Being bullied, however, is not something that a person can ever really forget. After spending the first eleven years of his life being tormented, it had taken Logan a long time to feel safe again, and even now sometimes it was hard. Los Angeles was a lot different than their small town home in Minnesota, and here not even his friends were immune to the occasional bullies. They wouldn't tell him, but he could see it in the way James would come home limping some days, or when Carlos' eyes were puffier and tinged with red more than usual, and how Kendall always seemed to be in a bad mood. He knew that they didn't want him to worry, and while he appreciated the concern, he was starting to get sick of having to watch his best friends get hurt without being able to do anything about it.

So when Kendall and James stumbled into the apartment, bruised and bloody, with a tear stricken Carlos right behind them in a similar condition, Logan decided he had had enough.

"Who was it?" Three pairs of eyes snapped up to meet his, but no one said a word. Logan stood from where he'd been sitting on the couch, crossing his arms across his chest. "Is anyone going to tell me what happened?" Suddenly no one seemed to meet his gaze, and he took a step forward. There was a moment of silence as he waited to see if anyone them was going to offer anything before he sighed. "Fine. At least let me look at those cuts and bruises."

Wordlessly the three of them filed to the couch, exchanging upset looks. Logan grabbed the first aid kit from where it was stored under the counter and took a seat next to Carlos, pulling out bandaids and alcohol swabs. Carlos eyed the alcohol warily, biting his lip. "Logie, they're really not _that _bad," he tried, but Logan didn't seem to be listening to them. His frown deepened as the seconds wore on until he looked downright angry, and as Kendall and James looked at each other apprehensively, he began to gently clean one of the cuts on Carlos' arm. "Tell me what happened."

None of them said anything for a minute. It was James who spoke first. "Look, Logan, it's really not that big of a deal. We can handle it ourselves." Logan snorted at that. "Yeah, I can tell," he said, but there was no humor in his words. "Now," he continued, "Either you tell me what happened or I go and tell Kendall's mom."

Everyone froze at that. "Logan, you can't- You know my mom will have us on a plane back to Minnesota within the hour if she thinks it will be safer for us there." All three of them were looking at him with such desperation that he almost found himself giving in, but he remained firm in his resolve and simply shrugged. "Then I guess you'll have to tell me, won't you." There was no question in it; Logan had given his ultimatum, and he was determined to get to the bottom of it one way or another.

Finally, James sighed and looked down. "Look Logan, we were just… in the wrong place at the wrong time." Logan stared hard at him, not failing to notice that James couldn't seem to meet his eyes. "Uh huh." The excuse was nothing new to him. He'd used it more times than he wanted to admit, because it wasn't really a lie, but it wasn't quite the truth either. He saw right through all three of them. "You've been in the wrong place at the wrong time a lot lately, haven't you."

James' head snapped up. "But we-" When he saw Logan's eyebrows rise he looked away again, blushing. He didn't need to finish the thought; they'd tried to hide it from him, but Logan knew.

"We just…" Logan looked over at Carlos, who seemed to be struggling to find the right words. "We didn't want you to get hurt again." The boy's eyes were pleading with him, and Logan softened. "I know, man," he said, trying to be gentle but resolute. "But come on." He looked them all in the eyes, smiling softly. "How long did you really think you could hide this from me? Never mind the fact that I've been through this before." They winced at his words but continued to listen. "Let's not forget that I want to become a doctor. And if I can't notice that something's wrong with the people I see every day, I have no business doing that."

The smile faded as he remembered the cuts and bruises. "Someone did a number on you guys," he said quietly. They all shifted unconsciously, trying to find a position where Logan couldn't see their injuries. It did nothing but show Logan how vulnerable they were all feeling, and suddenly the anger was back with a newfound fury. "I want to know why."

For a moment it looked like they were going to try and play it off as nothing again, but they seemed to think better of it and sank back into the couch. "We don't know why, Logan," Kendall said tiredly, rubbing a hand across his eyes. Logan blinked before frowning. "What do you mean, you don't know why? There's always a reason. Maybe they want the power over you, or you did something to make them angry, or they have self esteem issues, or-"

The list could have gone on forever, because Logan was an expert on the subject, but James cut him off. "No, Logan, I'm not sure that they do. We've tried to talk to them to keep this from escalating, but they just won't listen." Carlos nodded in agreement. "They're just full of hate. None of us can figure out why, but they… I don't know. It's like they're getting a kick out of it or something. And it's not like we can do anything because Griffin told us not to cause any trouble when he introduced us and-"

It took a few moments for his words to sink in, and when they finally did Logan found himself grasping at straws. "Hold on a minute. Griffin? What does he have to do with this?" James bit his lip. "Do you remember a few weeks ago, when Griffin brought in that new band and introduced them to us while we were rehearsing?"

Logan remembered. He remembered fivegiants that were so muscled that Logan had been tempted to ask someone to get them tested for steroids. Even James, who prided himself in his great fitness, wouldn't have stood a chance against one of them, let alone all five. His eyes widened, and he stared at his friends in disbelief. "_Them? _Please tell me you're kidding." They all shook their heads at him. "And remember when Griffin told us that the leader was his _nephew?_" The pointed look was not lost on him, but Logan was still having a hard time comprehending what they were saying.

"Why haven't you told anyone? Gustavo, or Kelly? If they'd known about this they would have put a stop to it." Kendall shook his head slowly. "No, Logan, they wouldn't have. They _couldn't _have. You know that Griffin will side with his nephew and his friends every time, and there's no way to prove that they've been doing anything to us. We would just be starting a fight that we can't win, at least not right now."

Logan wasn't having it. "We've got all the proof we need right here," he pointed out, gesturing to their bruised bodies. "You can't just say that you tripped and fell into something. These are some really deep bruises, and if they'd done any more damage you might have ended up in the hospital." His words seemed to have some effect, but not enough. "It doesn't matter, Logan. They've been careful. No witnesses, no cameras, nothing. It'll be our word against theirs."

Logan was seeing red. As someone who knew firsthand how destructive the effects of bullying could be, there was no way he was just going to sit around and let this continue. "No." There was a collective sigh, and when he heard the resignation in that one action it was all he could do not hit something. His friends were fiery and passionate, and they didn't take this kind of thing without a fight. And if they couldn't fight for themselves, then Logan would do it for them. His mind was made up.

It was time for someone to take action, and he wasn't going to let anything stand in his way.

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><p>Logan had always prided himself on keeping a cool head at times when most people would have exploded, but his friends had always been his blind spot. When it came to Kendall, James, and Carlos, logic, more often than not, was thrown out the window. It wasn't that he didn't try; he worked best when he could gather his thoughts, because planning was what he did. He had never been the kind of person that acted out of anger or frustration because he believed he could find a better, more peaceful alternative if he sat back and took everything in first. Those closest to him could count on one hand the times he'd lost his temper, but when he did it was a big deal.<p>

James, Kendall, and Carlos _didn't_ think this was a big deal. A problem, maybe, and definitely a nuisance, but not a big deal. Logan seemed to disagree, though, and this was the angriest they'd seen him in a long time. So when he stormed out of the apartment, his express intent being to put a stop to Michael Griffin and his gang, they were right behind him, ready to jump in if their usually composed friend needed to be held back.

The pool wasn't nearly as crowded as it usually was, but there were still a handful of people around that would witness whatever was about to go down. Logan seemed oblivious of all of them as he marched through the doors and stopped right in front of Michael and his friends. "Griffin." His voice was low and hard, and the five looked up from something they had been laughing at. When he recognized him Michael smirked, raising his eyebrows. "Logan Mitchell. Where have you been hiding, man? We've gotten to know your friends _so well, _but you always seem to be missing in action."

Logan saw the game Michael was setting them up for, and he was in no mood to play along. "I think we both know why I'm here." Michael turned to his friends, and Logan couldn't help but notice how good they were at playing dumb. _They've probably had a lot of practice, _he thought to himself, fighting to keep a smirk off his face. "You sound upset, Logan," Michael said, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Did we do something?" When Logan didn't answer, he looked over the boy's shoulder where Kendall, Carlos, and James were watching. "What happened to your friends? They look like they got hit by a train." Logan glanced back at his friends, noting the glares and the clenching fists. He turned back to Michael, crossing his arms. "I want it to stop. _Now._"

And then Michael did the worst thing he could have done: he laughed, right in Logan's face.

"What exactly are you accusing us of, Mitchell? We haven't done anything." There was a knowing look in his eye that Logan had seen too many times before that said everything; they could do whatever they wanted, and they would continue to get away with it. "I think you know _exactly _what you've done, and I'm not going to let you get away with it anymore. You're done hurting them." Michael's grin widened and he rose to his feet, showing off every inch of his 6'6'' frame. "So you think _we're _the ones that did that to your friends, huh?" Logan only glared, letting his silence answer for him. Michael laughed, looking at his friends and shaking his head before turning his attention back to Logan. "Prove it."

Logan was reaching the end of his rope, fast, and everyone could see it. "You know what-" he started, taking a step forward. He felt a hand grab his arm and pull him back slightly and turned to see James. The taller boy looked as serious as Logan had ever seen him, and he held Logan's gaze, giving him a pointed look. "Calm down," he said quietly. "He's not even worth it." And Logan almost calmed down, and he might have backed off if Michael could've just kept his mouth shut. But, evidently, he couldn't.

"It's funny you say that, Diamond, because I've heard people say the same thing about you." It was quiet enough that only anyone close by would be able to hear, but he might as well have shouted it in Logan's face. He felt James tense slightly beside him as Michael turned to his friends and laughed again. Logan glared at him for a few seconds, clenching his fists, and then, to everyone's surprise, he laughed too.

And then Logan did the worst thing he could have done: he punched Michael, right in the face.

For a minute, there was no movement, no sound; everyone was too busy staring between Logan and Michael, looking dazed and almost in awe of what they had just witnessed. Then Michael was yelling something and his friends were on their feet, ready to move into action. There was a trickle of blood flowing from his nose, and his eyes seemed to be watering from the pain, but the look he was giving Logan told him that this was far from finished.

Logan felt a hand on his arm again, pulling him away from the conflict and back into the lobby, and this time he didn't fight. He could only stare at the scene in front of him as the shock of what he'd just done sank in. And as his friends pulled him into the elevator, he couldn't help but wonder if he'd just made the situation a hundred times worse.

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><p>Logan had <em>definitely <em>made the situation worse.

It was only an hour before they got a call from a very worried Kelly telling them that Griffin wanted to see them in his office immediately, and in retrospect it was surprising that they hadn't been called in earlier.

But regardless of whatever time they'd been given to prepare, facing Griffin was something they just couldn't have been ready for. Arthur Griffin, despite all his odd quirks and too-happy attitude in the worst of situations, was _angry. _None of them, not even Gustavo, had ever seen the man look so enraged. And Logan might have been able to take it, if it had only been him that had been forced to deal with the repercussions of his actions as he had hoped, but Griffin made it very clear that he felt that they were all to blame. He had half a mind to pull his contract with Gustavo and have it terminated, because he was _that _mad, and he wasn't going to tolerate this kind of behavior from any of them.

The four of them, to their credit, tried to defend themselves. Logan had explained everything that had led up to his actions at the pool, and Kendall, Carlos, and James had even rolled up their sleeves and pulled up their shirts to show everyone they extensive bruising that covered their torsos. But Griffin hadn't even blinked, just as the boys had predicted, and told them that if they couldn't back up their story then he would have no choice but to believe what his nephew had told him.

They left his office half an hour later with strict instructions not to bother Michael and his friends or pursue the issue any further. The only reason he hadn't dumped them right then and there was that they were still one of his biggest assets in the company, and it would mean losing too much in money and investments to pull out now. But he wasn't going to tolerate it anymore, and he left them with the promise that if any of them caused anymore trouble, there would be severe consequences for all four of them.

None of them had argued with him after that, but when they were finally released from his office they all left with newfound sense of defeat in their hearts.

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><p>The apartment was dark when they arrived back at the Palm Woods, and there was a note on the kitchen counter from Mrs. Knight telling them that Kelly had called and explained everything to her, and to get some rest.<p>

Logan wanted to explain to his friends why he'd been so angry, and how sorry he was for getting them into trouble, but the day was starting to catch up to them and they were beginning to sway on their feet. As gently as he could, he told them to go to bed, and although they hadn't stopped staring at him since they'd left Griffin's office, they all nodded and moved off to their respective rooms. Logan watched as each of their doors closed before retiring to his own room, ready to get some rest and put the events of the day behind him.

He wasn't really surprised when he found himself unable to drift off. His mind was still racing from everything that had happened, and the shame of what he'd done was finally setting in. He'd never hit anyone out of anything but self defense before today, and it wasn't a good feeling. He should have known not to react out of anger, out of hate; he'd been raised better, and people expected more out of him than that. _He _expected more out of himself than that, and after years of maintaining a cool head and an unwavering sense of logic he'd thrown it all out the window.

He couldn't be surprised that everyone had reacted badly to what he'd done. Maybe it wasn't fair of Griffin to pin _all _the blame on him, but he'd thrown any chance of fairness out the window when he'd thrown that punch. It had been a stupid move, and looking back on it now Logan knew that there had to have been a better way to handle the situation.

His father had once told him that fighting hate with hate would only lead to more hate. Logan hadn't understood at the time, because it seemed that if one could end the other then everything could be peaceful again. But he understood now. When people act outed of hate, they were acting out of mindless, vengeful evil. Hate accomplished nothing but destruction, and it caused even the most sensible people to lose control of themselves. It never did anyone any good to act on bitterness; there was always a better way.

And with that in mind, Logan began to plan.

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><p>When Kendall, James, and Carlos came downstairs the next morning, they found Logan in the kitchen flipping pancakes and whistling <em>Elevate. <em>When he caught sight of them he grinned, motioning them into the kitchen and carrying over a carton of orange juice. They all eyed him warily, exchanging puzzled looks as they sat down. There was silence as Logan went back into the kitchen, returning moments later with plates filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, and pancakes. The three stared between him and the food, and it was Kendall who finally spoke. "Okay, I'll bite. What is all this?"

Logan sat down at the table, fiddling with his thumbs for a moment before sighing. "I need to apologize for yesterday," he finally said, lifting his eyes to meet theirs. He was met with three pairs of raised eyebrows. "I've never seen you get that angry." Carlos' tone wasn't accusatory or mad; he was simply pointing out what he'd observed. Still, Logan winced at the boy's words, laughing ruefully. "Yeah, I guess I-" Carlos cut him off before he could say anything more. "But there's nothing to forgive."

Logan blinked at him as Kendall and James nodded. "We understood why you did it. We've been there too, remember?" It was true; all throughout middle school and their early years in high school they'd protected him from bullies. "And, you know, I thought you handled yourself fairly well," Kendall said. At Logan's surprised look, he added, "If it had been me, I probably wouldn't have stopped after that first punch."

Everyone laughed a little at that, but Logan still shook his head. "I didn't handle myself well, though, and I only made everything worse." Everyone shrugged, but before they could argue with him he continued. "But I also know that this can't go on any longer. I know you guys have been trying to play it off as though it's no big deal, but it really is. Trust me, I know. If you guys keep letting this happen then it's only going to escalate, and you could get _really _hurt." He paused, letting his words sink in. "And I realize that we can't go at it like I did yesterday. Griffin isn't going to do anything until he has some proof." He smiled then, and he knew he'd piqued their interest when they all leaned in forward. "And I know just how to get it."

They listened in silence as he explained the plan that he'd come up with to them, nodding every once in a while. When he'd finished, there was hope shining in their eyes, marred only by a hint of skepticism. "It's a great plan, but Logan…" Carlos frowned slightly. "Didn't Griffin say not to cause any trouble?"

Logan's grin widened, and he shrugged of their concerns. "The way I see it, _we _won't be causing any trouble. It's been Michael and his friends the entire time, not including yesterday, and we're going to keep it that way. And besides-" His eyes sparkled as he looked at them. "Some rules are made to be broken."

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><p>When Logan made plans, he tried to make them as simple as possible. He weighed all the pros and cons, searching for the best plan of action, but when it came right down to it, the less complicated things were, the better. For every step there was to take there were equally as many, if not more, potential problems, so the more straightforward it could be, the less likely something was to go wrong. And the less risks, the better.<p>

Logan's sole intention was to keep his friends from coming to harm, and it was for that very reason that he was certain no one would ever suspect a thing.

It had been easy to set everything up; a little help from Katie, a little sneaking around, and they were all set to go. Now all that Logan could do was wait; wait, and hope and pray that everything worked. He'd already deemed it most likely to succeed out of all the options they had, and Kendall, Carlos, and James had all assured him over and over that they would make sure it went off without a hitch. It was up to them from here on out, though, and if something went wrong it would be _them _who got hurt, not Logan. However, the plan had already been set in motion, and his friends had made it quite clear that they were going through with it, regardless. They left him in the apartment, wary but ready for anything, and made their way down to the lobby.

On any other day, the three of them might have considered themselves unlucky at how empty the lobby was. It wasn't especially early, but it was also a Saturday morning, and that meant that everyone was either still in bed or down at the beach. Even Bitters was nowhere to be found; they were completely alone.

Almost.

They felt more than they heard Michael and his friends enter the lobby. They didn't really come from anymore, as far as Kendall, James, and Carlos could tell; they were suddenly just _there. _They stood mere feet away from the boys, and a chill fell over the room. There was no bandage on Michael's nose, but it was nasty shade of purple. It was clear by the looks on their faces that they hadn't forgotten about yesterday, and they were still _very _upset about what had happened.

There was a moment were they all seemed to just stare at each other, waiting to see who would make the first move. Finally Michael narrowed his eyes and looked between the three of them, smirking. "Where's Mitchell? I owe him for yesterday," he said, gesturing towards his nose. "What, was he too scared to come and face us? Send you three to fight his battles for him?"

Kendall crossed his arms boldly, looking Michael in the eyes. "This was never his fight to begin with," he said, watching the group in front of him carefully. "Just like it shouldn't have ever been ours." Michael raised his eyebrows at that, looking amused by Kendall's declaration. "Is that so?" A ghost of a smirk touched Kendall's lips as he nodded, still wary. "You've had no call to lay a hand on any of us, and while we don't want to cause any trouble, this _is _going to stop today. That's a guarantee."

Michael looked like he wanted to laugh, but there was also a dangerous spark in his eyes. "Look man," Carlos finally spoke, picking up where Kendall had left off. "We've tried to understand you; we've tried to reason with you; we've even tried to fight back a few times, but you never seem to care." And the look he was giving Michael was so innocent and genuinely desperate to understand that only Carlos could have pulled it off.

But Michael and his friends only sneered. "You say that like we're _supposed _to care," Michael scoffed. "We've been over this before; not everything has to have an explanation that you like. We do this because we _enjoy _it, and for no other reason than that. And it's nothing personal, boys, really." He gave them a nasty look, shrugging. "You three have just been the easiest targets and, let me tell you, it's been a pleasure."

James laughed quietly, shaking his head in disgust. "You know, man, I might almost believe that was the only reason, but I just can't. You've spent the last month trying to torment us, and don't try to pretend that you haven't gone out of your way just to make our lives miserable." Michael's jaw clenched slightly and he turned to James, daring him to continue. And he did. "That's _so much _hate, and I just don't see how you've held onto it for so long. Aren't you tired, man? I just don't understand it. Was the move here too stressful? Or maybe you're afraid you won't measure up to your uncle's standards? Because I don't-"

The fist collided with his jaw before he could even register the movement, and James found himself crashing back into Kendall and Carlos. Michael's face was red, and he looked like he might explode at any moment. "You'd better watch your mouth, Diamond," he growled, taking a step forward and clenching his fists. His friends moved into position behind him mindlessly, just as they'd done so many times before. "I'm going to enjoy kicking your little-"

"Enough." Michael stopped in his tracks, and eight pairs of eyes snapped to the elevators as they closed behind Logan. He walked towards them calmly, without a hint of fear in his eyes. "This has gone far enough." He looked at his friends, especially James, a felt a wave of relief wash over him when they all nodded, signaling that they were all okay. He turned his attention back to Michael and his friends. "We're not going to fight you anymore, Michael. There's just no sense in it, and I think you know it."

Michael's lip curled into a sneer and he took a step towards Logan. "Try and stop me, Mitchell," he jeered. But Logan didn't move except for the shaking of his head. "I've already told you, I'm not going to fight you." His expression hardened and he gave him a meaningful look. "But if you want to beat me up, be my guest. It'll just be another thing that the camera picks up."

There was a moment of silence as Michael processed what Logan had just said. "What did you just say?" For the first time he seemed to realize the video camera that was perched on Mr. Bitters' desk, pointed right at them. He made a move towards it, but Logan's words stopped made him pause. "I wouldn't bother. That camera is connected to my laptop, which is safely up in our apartment. We've got you on tape, and it's going to be pretty hard to lie your way out of this one."

Michael's face was even brighter red than his uncle's had been the day before, but he was more cautious than he had been moments earlier. "So what, are you going to blackmail us? Seems to me like you're playing just as low as we are. I thought you were supposed to be better than that, Mitchell." He was taunting Logan, goading him to attack just as he had yesterday. But Logan wasn't going for it, and he only shook his head.

"We're not blackmailing you, Michael; we're giving you a choice. We," he said, gesturing to Kendall, James, and Carlos, who had moved to stand behind him, "don't want to continue the cycle; we want to break it. Whether we turn in the video or you stop on your own is completely up to you, but either way, this is going to end." It was clear to all of them that Michael was reluctant to take either option. "We're not trying to hurt you, Michael," Logan explained quietly. "We're trying to help. Make the right choice, man. This doesn't need to go any farther than today."

Michael's eyes narrowed, and for a moment Logan thought he might get punched after all. But slowly the other boy nodded, offering a begrudging hand. "We've got a deal, Mitchell." Logan accepted the hand, trying to ignore the way Michael seemed to be attempting to crush his hand. He could work on finding peace later; for now, he would be happy with the asylum they'd been given. Michael pulled his hand back, looking at his friends. "Let's go," he muttered. Logan watched as they sauntered off before turning to his friends, meeting their grins.

"Told you it would work!" Carlos said excitedly, high fiving Kendall. Logan smiled, but then turned to James, eyeing the bruise that was already beginning to form on the boy's jaw. Seeing his concerned look, James quickly waved him off. "Don't worry about it. I've had a lot worse." Logan couldn't argue with him there, but he still shrugged an apology. "At least this is all over, right?" Carlos asked, looking at them hopefully.

When Logan nodded they all cheered, clapping him on the back. The relief that they had been given was evident, and though he knew that this was only a small step in the right direction, it was definitely something.

* * *

><p>Logan Mitchell believes in love. He believes in that warm feeling that touches his heart whenever he helps another human being. He's seen miracles, and watched the most hopeless situations turn into something great just because someone dared to show their compassion. He's been told that it's the greatest gift someone can give, as well as the easiest, and Logan hopes that someday the rest of the world can know it, too. Love is not always hugging and laughing and smiling; sometimes, it is the simple act of forgiving and acting with fairness. It defies all other actions, and he knows that following the path of love can never lead him astray. Acting out of love can only bring hope and peace, and Logan is determined to help everyone see that. And if he has to break a few rules along the way, well…<p>

Some rules are just made to be broken.

* * *

><p><strong>So I was half asleep when I finished writing and editing this, so I apologize for any mistakes there might have been.<strong>

**Now don't go and tell everyone that Falling to Fly says it's okay to break all the rules that you don't like. That's not what I'm saying at all, and hopefully you all understood that. But there are some times where you just have to take a stand for what you know is right, and listening to the love in your heart can never lead you astray. Never let yourself be pushed into a corner; always stand up for what you believe in.**

**I love you all. -heart-**


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